Pump



Jan. 30, i945. M. L EDWARDS PUMP Filed Feb, l, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l M/zfs Lowal. [DW/1R05 m4 TER fra A T REST WATER LIL/EL Jan. 30, 1945. M. L EDWARDS PUMP ' 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 1, 1941 Patented Jae. 3o, 194s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Miles Lowell Edwards, Longview, Wash.

Application February 1, 1941, Serial No. 377,016

8 Claims.

This invention relates to centrifugal pumps, and has particular reference to an improved apparatus for relieving such pumps of air or other gases which may be entrained with the liquid during pumping operations, and for exhausting air from the intake pipe to lift liquid to the pump.

It is well known that when acted upon by a rotating impeller the air and gases entrained with the liquid being pumped will collect near theL center of the impeller in the inner ends of the passageways between the blades and restrict the iiow of liquid through the pump. When this condition occurs the pump is said to be air bound." The present invention comprises a pump having an impeller of the centrifugal type for pumping liquids, and e, displacement impeller of the hydroturbine type for withdrawing gaseous uids which may collect near `the center of the rst named impeller and for discharging them from the pump. The hydroturbine pump element employs water as the pumping medium, the water alternately entering and receding from a series of displacement chambers in an impeller rotatably journaled in an eccentriccasing. The principle of operation is illustratedand described in Letters Patent No. 2,211,316, issued August 13, 1940, to

gas pump. The present construction embodies a V stationary port member upon which the displacement impeller is journaled and within which are passages' leading from the centrifugal impeller to f providecommunication between the area adja- --cent'the eye ofthecentrifugal impellervand the displacement chambers.v The construction rovides -a simple," compact unit which may be lproduced with few parts and with a minimum vof time and vlaboriin assembly.

tiis the principal object of the invention t Vrovide means for positively withdrawing from the inner ends 'of the lpassages between the blades of a centrifugal impeller any accumulation :of air or gases entrained with the liquid being pumped.

It is a further object of the invention to pro- `vide in a centrifugal pump means enabling coninuous` andleiilcient operation when pumping edair'or free gases. is afurther; object of the It is a furtherv object of the invention to pro-l vide a self-'priming pump of the centrifugal type.

invention topro- -aipu'mpiof thecentrifugal type having an impellenotrthe hydroturbine type associated 'therewith for expelling accumulated air and gases from the pump. l

vMiles L Edwards and Carl Blom, for Wet type liquids, or liquids which containf en vention resides in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forthjin the appended claims; it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, size and details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a pump embodying the present invention, the rotating element comprising an impeller of the centrifugal type having a displacement impeller of the hydroturbine type mounted on one side thereof, vand a port member providing communication between the working chambers of said impellers.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the pump housing, and more` particularly, of the port member. The view is taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1f The arrows indicate the direction of flow of air through the intake and discharge ports,respective1y.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken transversely of the pump on the line 3 3 of Figure l,

pump. 'I'he arrows in the upper part of the drawings indicatethe ow of air from the discharge ports of the hydroturbine pump to. the separation chamber.

l Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Figure 2 except that the outer-wall of the pump housing has been removed. The view is of the port member and is taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. One

set of arrows indicates the ow of air from the eye of the centrifugal impeller to an intake port in the hydroturbine pump; the otherv set of arrows indicating the ilow of air from a discharge port 'in the hydroturbine pump t0 the separation chamber; Portions"of the walls of the port memberjarecut away to show the relation of ports and passageways therethrough.

Figure 6 is a 'sectional elevation taken transy versely of the pump on the line 6 6 of Figure 1. The View illustrates the relative positions of the separation chamber into which gas is exhausted from the hydroturbine pump and of the priming chamber into which water forming the pumping element of the hydroturbine pump may flow when the pump is idle.

,Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of a pump embodying the invention and illustrating the details of a modified construction of such a pump. In this iigure of the drawings the rotating element is shown as comprising in one piece the impeller for the centrifugal pump and the displacement impeller for the hydroturbine pump.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of that portion of the housing for the pump illustrated in Figure "1 which constitutes the port member and the separation chamber. A sector of the housing has been cut away as on the line 8-8 of Figure 3 to show the course of passages therethrough.

Referring first to Figure 1 and related views of the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a pump casing I forming a pressure chamber commonly referred to as a volute 2. Mounted within the volute is a centrifugal type impeller 3, the impeller threadedly engaging a drive shaft 4 so as to rotate therewith. Liquid to be pumped enters the pump by way of a supply pipe 5, from whence it passes through the eye 6 of the impeller and through passages dened by the impeller vanes 1 and into the area defined by the volute 2. The liquid is discharged from the pump volute through the discharge port 8. A side plate 9 forms one wall of the pump casing housing the volute 2.

Securely fastened to the casing I, as by bolts I0, is a housing II, and contained within the housing I I are the lobes I2--I2 of a hydroturbine pump, a separation chamber I3, and a priming chamber housing i I is generally cylindrical in form, and

p the shaft 4 extends centrally therethrough into engagement with the centrifugal impeller 3. A stuiiing box I5 is employed to seal the pump at the point where the shaft 4 enters the housing I I.

Extending axially from one side of the impeller 3, opposite the intake port or eye 6, is a threaded cylindrical boss I6. Threadedly engaging the boss I6 is a boss I1 upon which is carried the displacement impeller I8 of a hydroturbine pump. The impeller I8 comprises vanes I9 deiining a plurality of passages which form the displacement chambers 20 of the hydroturbine pump. Rotation of the impeller I8 is coincident with rotation of the impeller 3, since one impeller operatively engages the other impeller through the medium of the threaded cylindrical bosses I6 and I1.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention the threaded boss I6, extending from one side of the impeller 3, is concentric with, but in spaced apart relation from, the hub 2l of the impeller. Likewise, the impeller I8 is mounted in concentric spaced apart relation to the hub of the impeller 3. For convenience of construction the inside diameter of the impeller I8 is somewhat greater than the inside diameter of the boss I6, the impeller I8 extending axially beyond the end of the boss I6. Projecting into the space defined by the inside diameter of the impeller I8 and likewise into the space defined by the inside diameter of the boss I6 so as to completely occupy the space between these elements .and the shaft 4 (or hub 2| of the impeller 3) is an extension of the housing Il forming a port member 22. It should be understood that the impeller I8 is rotatively `iournaled on the port member 22, the threaded bosses I6 and I1 providing means for driving the impeller I8. Inlet I4, presently to be described. TheA and discharge passages extend through theport member and communicate with ports for inlet to and discharge from the hydroturbine pump.

It will be noted that the vanes 1 extend into the radial area ofthe eye 6 of the impeller 3 and are integrally joined to the hub 2l. Adjacent the hub 2I the shroud 23 of the impeller 3 is provided with a series of openings or ports 24 which provide communication between the inner ends of the passages between the blades 1 of the impeller 3 and intake passages 25 vextending through the port member 22. The intake passages 25 communicate with the displacement chambers 20 of the impeller I8 through intake ports 26. Discharge ports 21 communicate by way of passages 28 (see Figure 5) with an exhaust port 29 opening into the separation chamber I3. In this connection it will be noted that the separation chamber I3 is separated from the priming chamber I4 by partitions 30. A comparison of Figures 4 and 5 will reveal that the exhaust port 29 is positioned behind the intake port 2B in the upper lobe of the pump, and that both discharge ports 21 are in communication with the exhaust port 29 by way of cross-over passages 28.

The separation chamber I3 and priming chamber I4 are contained between an outer vertical wall 6I and an inner vertical wall 62, the latter comprising the partition between these said chambers and the lobes I2--I2 of the hydroturbine pump. A peripheral wall portion 83 and a hub portion 64 complete this enclosure. The horizontal partitions 30 divide the space thus enclosed into the separation and priming chambers, respectively.

The port member 22 and impeller I8, together with the lobes I2, comprise a displacement pump of the type employing water as the pumping medium, in which the water alternately enters and recedes from the series of displacement chambers 20 in the impeller I6. The impeller I8 is positively driven by the shaft 4 through the medium of the centrifugal element 3 to which it is fastened. The impeller I8 is cylindrical in shape and rotates within a compartment or chamber in the housing II closely fitting the impeller at the two sides thereof, as shown in Figure 3, and being spaced therefrom to form the lobes I2 above and below the impeller. In operation the housing I I is partly filled with water and the impeller is driven at high speed. Propelled by the vanes I9, the water in the housing travels around with the impeller, and centrifugal force and the inertia of the liquid causes it to follow the elliptical path formed by the lobes I2. 'Ihus the water will alternately enter and recede from each displacement chamber 20 to form enlarging and contracting spaces therewithin. As the impeller I8 is rotated the vanes I9 revolve about the port member 22 in rapid succession, their travel being alternately over intake ports 26 and discharge ports 21 which register with the openings in the bottom of each displacement chamber. As these chambers register with intake ports 26 and the liquid piston begins its receding action by reason of the divergence of the lobe I2 of the housing, a positive suction is created through ports 26 and passages 25, and air or gases which have accumulated adjacent the eye 6 of the impeller 3 are positively withdrawn therefrom into the displacement chambers 20 in the impeller I8. After the openings in the bottom of the displacement chambers have passed out of communication with the ports A feature of the invention y construction illustrated in Figure '1 is the unitary 26, the wall of the lobe I2 begins to converge toward the"impe1ler, causing the liquid piston to approach the center of rotation to compress the air in the displacement chambers. pression of the air attains its maximum as the displacement chambers reach the horizontal line of the casing, at which point the liquid piston completely lls the displacement chambers. As the displacement chambers pass over the ports 21 the air therewithin is forced through these ports by the liquid piston until the displacement chambers are completely exhaustedA of the air acted upon by the pump.

Due to running clearances between the peripheral surface of the boss I1 and the adjacent edge of the side plate 9, and between the shrouds 3| of the impeller I8 and the housing I I, a tendency exists for the vacuum created by rotation of the impeller 3 to withdraw the liquid ring from the lobe I2 of the air pump. To overcome this difficulty holes 32 are drilled through the supporting flange of the impeller I8 which register with a passage 33 through the port member 22. The passage 33 provides communication between the spaces at each side of the impeller 'Is and serves to equalize any pressure difference created in the spaces between the shrouds 3| of the impeller and the adjacent walls of the pump housing.

The intake passage which communicates with the intake port 26' in the lower lobe of the y 26 to form the liquid 'ring of the pump, thus opening the passage 25 for the withdrawal therethrough of air or gas from the centrifugal pump casing and the inlet pipe 5, evacuating the same and positively priming said centrifugal pump. It will be appreciated that a certain amount of water will be discharged from the air pump through the exhaust port 29 and into the separation chamber I3. A bleed hole (Figure 3) is provided through the vertical wall 62 through which water discharged into the separation chamber I3 may feed back into the priming chamber I4, thus providing for replenishing the liquid ring of the pump.

The pump illustrated in Figure 7 comprises a casing 36 having at one side thereof an intake opening 31. Liquids to be acted upon by the pump are supplied to the intake opening 31 through a supply pipe 38. The casing 36 is in the form of a volute chamber fora centrifugal pump, and rotatably mounted therewithin is an impeller 39 having an eye 40. The impeller is secured to a drive shaft 4I through which power is supplied from any suitable source to drive the impeller. Bolted to the side of the casing 36 is a housing 43 containing the working chambers or lobes 44 of an air pump,`presently to be described, and also containinga discharge chamber 45. A stuffing box46 is employed to seal the pump at the pointv where housing 43.

construction of ,theI centrifugal'impeller 39 and The comthezs aftlll enters the found vin the ing cast in one piece. Extending axially from the side of the impeller 39 opposite the eye 40 is a cylindrical projection 41 upon which is carried the displacement impeller 49 of the air pump. The impeller 49 comprises shrouds between which are a plurality of vanes 5I defining the passages which form the displacement cham.

jacent the hubA52 the shroud 54 of the impeller v39 is provided with a series of passages or ports 55, which provide communication between the inner ends of the impeller passages within the area ofthe eye 40 of the impeller 39 and intake.

passages 56 extending through the port member 53. The intake passages 56 communicate with the displacement chambers oi' the impeller 69 through intake ports 51. Discharge ports 58 communicate by way of passages 59 (see Figure 8') with exhaust ports 60 opening into the discharge chamber 65.

The port member 53 and impeller 49, togetherv with the working chambers or lobes 64, comprise a pump of the type employing water as the pump-` ing medium, the water alternately entering and receding in the displacement chambers of the impeller 49. 'I'he operation is similar to that described in connection with the pump illustrated in Figure 1. Operation of the air pump 4creates a positive suction through ports 55 and'passages' 56, and air or gases which have accumulated adjacent the eye til of the impeller 39 are positively withdrawn therefrom into the displacement chambers of the impeller 69, and are discharged 5 therefrom by way of ports 58 linto the discharge chamber 45.

The chief difference between the pump illustrated in Figure l and the pump illustrated in Figure 7 is that the latter pump is not equipped with the storage chamber from which priming water is supplied to the liquid piston of the air pump. The pump illustrated in Figure 7 is not intended to be a self-priming pump, .and is intended for operation generally where the suction opening of the impeller 39 is subjected to a positive liquid level.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what I claim'as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A pumping apparatus comprising a casing. a volute chamber in said casing having an axial intake port and a peripheral discharge port, an eccentric chamber in said casing having an axial intake port and an axial discharge port, a centrifugal impeller mounted in said volute chamber and comprising therewith a centrifugal pump, a rotor mounted in said eccentric chamber and comprising therewith a, hydroturbine pump, a gassand'liq'uid separating chamber inv said casing `orifthe dischargeside of said hydroturbine pump,

:a hub for'ysaid rotor, ports through said hub prothe displacement-impellea49, Atheseelements be-FI' rotor,

-vidlng:- rthepassage of air from the eye of said mpeller ktr'rtlie (displacement chambers of said yrtsjfthroughsaid hub providing for the discharge of said air from said displacement chambers to said separating chamber.

2. A pumping apparatus comprising a casing, a volute chamber in said casing having an axial intake port and a peripheral discharge port, a centrifugal impeller mounted in said volute chamber and comprising therewith a centrifugal pump, an eccentric chamber in said casing, a rotor mounted in said eccentric chamber and comprising therewith a hydroturbine pump, said centrifugal impeller having a plurality of vanes extending generally radially from the eye of the impeller, an opening extending axially through the impeller within the radial area of said intake port, said impeller vanes extending to within said area for positively conducting air and gases into said area, said rotor having a plurality of vanes defining displacement chambers therebetween, a cylindrical portion of said casing projecting into the side of said rotor and comprising a hub for said rotor, intake and discharge ports in said hub, a port in the inner end of each said displacement chamber adapted to register successively with said intake and discharge ports as said rotor is rotated about said hub, passages in said hub providing communication between the opening through said impeller and said intake ports, and discharge passages in said hub providing for the discharge of uids acted upon by said hydroturbine pump.

3.- A pump for pumping fully liquid material from a supply of such material, comprising a casing comprising a pump chamber having an axial intake port and a peripheral discharge Port, said casing comprising also a second chamber having an axial intake port in axial alignment with said rst intake port and having an axial discharge port, first pumping means mounted in said pump chamber for pressuring liquid to said peripheral discharge port, second pumping means mounted in said second chamber for withdrawing gaseous fluids from said rst pumping means and discharging said gaseous fluids through said axial discharge port, and a hub for said second pumping means having an intake passage providing communication between said axial intake port and said second pumping means and having a discharge passage providing communication between said second pumping.

the side of the impeller opposite the eye, said.

opening being Within the radial area of the eye of the impeller, said impeller vanes extending to within said area and sloping toward saidside of the impeller for positively conducting air and gases into said area, said rotor having a plurality of vanes defining displacement chambers I therebetween, means integrally uniting said centrifugal impeller and said rotor, said rotor being driven by said impeller, a cylindrical portion of hub, passages in said hub providing communication between the opening in the side of said impeller and said intake ports, and discharge passages in said hub providing for the discharge of fluids acted upon by said pump.

5. A pump comprising a casing, a volute chamber in said casing, a centrifugal impeller mounted in said volute chamber and comprising therewith a centrifugal pump, an eccentric chamber in said casing, a rotor mounted in said eccentric chamber and comprising therewith a hydroturbine pump, said centrifugal impeller having a plurality of vanes extending generally radially from the eye of the impeller, openings through the side of the impeller opposite the eye between each two of said impeller vanes and within the radial area of the eye of the impeller, said impeller vanes extending to within said area for positively conducting air and gases into said area, said rotor having a plurality of vanes deiining displacement chambers therebetween, means integrally uniting said centrifugal impeller and said rotor, said rotor being driven by said impeller, a cylindrical portion oi' said casing projecting into the side of said rotor and comprising a hub for said rotor, intake and discharge ports in said hub, a port in the bottom of each said displacement chamber adapted to register successively with said intake and discharge ports as said rotor is rotated about said hub, passages in said hub providing communication between the open--l ing in the side of said impeller and said intake ports, and discharge passages in said hub providing for the discharge of fluids acted upon by said pump.

6. A pump comprising a casing, a volute chamber in said casing, a centrifugal impeller mounted in said volute chamber and comprising therewithv a centrifugal pump, an eccentric chamber in said casing, a rotor mounted in said eccentric chamber and comprising therewith a hydroturbine pump, said centrifugal impeller having a plurality of vanes extending generally radially from the eye of the impeller, an opening through the side of the impeller opposite the eye, said opening being within the radial area of the eye of the impeller, said impeller vanes extending to Within said area and sloping toward said side of the impeller for positively conducting air and gases into said area, said rotor having a plurality of vanes defining displacement chambers therebetween, said rotor being mounted upon the back plate of said impeller and being driven by said impeller, a cylindrical portion of said casing projecting into the side of said rotor and comprising a hub for said rotor, intake and discharge ports in said hub, a port infithe bottom of each said displacement chamber adapted to register successively with said intake and discharge ports as said rotor is rotated about said hub, passages' in said hub providing communication between the opening in the side of lsaid impeller and said intake ports, and discharge passages in said hub providing for the discharge of fluids acted upon by said pump.

7. A pump comprising a casing. a volute chamber in said casing, a centrifugal impeller mounted in said volute chamber and comprising therewith a centrifugal pump, an eccentric chamber in said casing, a rotor mounted in said eccentric chamber and comprising therewith a hydroturbine pump, said centrifugal impeller having a plurality of vanes extending generally radially from the eye of the impeller, an opening through the side of the impeller opposite the eye, said opening being within the radial area of the eye 'of the impeller, said impeller vanes extending to within said area and sloping toward said side of the impeller for positively conducting air and gases into said area, said rotor having a plurality 5 of vanes defining displacement chambers therebetween, means integrally uniting said centrifugal impeller and said rotor, said rotor being driven by said impeller, a cylindrical portion of said casing projecting into the side of said rotor 1U and comprising ahub for said rotor, intake and discharge ports in said hub, a port in the bottom of each said displacement chamber adapted to register successively with said intake and discharge ports as said rotor is rotated about saldi 15 hub, a discharge chamber in said casing, passages in said hub providing communication between the opening in the side of said impeller and said intake ports, and passages in said hub providing communication between said discharge 20 ports and said discharge chamber.

. 8. A pump comprising a casing, a volute chamber in said casing, a centrifugal impeller mounted in said volute chamber and comprising therel the side of the impeller opposite the eye, said t opening being within the radial area of the eye of the impeller, said impeller vanes extending to Within said area and sloping .toward said side of the impeller for positively conducting air and gases into said area, said rotor having a plurality of vanes defining displacement chambers therebetween, means integrally uniting said centrifugal impeller and Asaid rotor, a cylindrical portion of said casing projecting into the'side of said rotor and comprising a hub for said rotor, passages in said hub providing communication between the opening in the side of said impeller and the` intake side of said hydroturbine pump.

MILES LOWELL EDWARDS. 

